Dynamic allocation of audio channel for surround sound systems

ABSTRACT

A method, apparatus, and computer program product that performs dynamic allocation of audio channels to wireless devices, including wireless audio speakers and wireless mobile terminals. The wireless speaker or mobile terminal establishes a communications link with the amplifier/controller of a multiple channel media system, such as a home theatre. The wireless speakers/mobile terminals contain an algorithm that performs location determination relative to the controller and transmission of the location information to the controller. The controller calculates the position of the wireless speaker in relation to the ideal location of each channel of a multi-channel audio system and allocates channel selection to each of the wireless speakers/mobile terminals. The communications link may be established over WiFi, wireless telephone network, or other wireless method.

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

An embodiment of the present invention is related to the field ofwireless audio speaker systems, namely the allocation of audio channelsin surround sound systems using wireless devices.

BACKGROUND

Typical surround sound systems for home theatre or other purposesincorporate at least five channels: front right and left channels, rearright and left channels and a front center channel. In a wireless audiosystem, the amplifier broadcasts the audio channels over radiofrequencies. The speakers have to “select” one of the frequencies toreceive so that the proper sound channel can be received and reproducedby the correct speaker. Normally the selection of which channel to playthrough each speaker is performed manually. However, the manualselection may not always be optimized and may not respond dynamically tochanging conditions.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A method is provided that comprises establishing a wirelesscommunications link in a mobile speaker device to a multiple channelmedia system controller; causing transmission of location information ofthe mobile speaker device to the system controller; receiving an audiochannel allocation from the system controller; and selecting theallocated audio channel in the mobile speaker device. The method of oneembodiment further comprises determining the location of the mobilespeaker device, and locating a mobile wireless speaker device within theoperating area of a wireless multiple channel audio system. Somefeatures of example embodiments of the method include: the wirelesscommunications link is one of a WiFi, mobile telephone networkconnection or any other wireless link, location is determined by anypositioning system transceiver (such as, global positioning system (GPS)transceiver), mobile telephone network location system or WiFi locationbased system. The channel allocation can comprise a plurality ofoverlapping channels, the mobile speaker device is an audio systemspeaker, or the mobile speaker device is a mobile telephone device.

An alternative embodiment is an apparatus comprising at least aprocessor, a memory, and computer instructions stored in memory which,when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: establish awireless communications link in a mobile speaker device to a multiplechannel media system controller, cause transmission of locationinformation of a mobile speaker device to the system controller, receivean audio channel allocation from the system controller, and select theallocated audio channel in the mobile speaker device. The apparatus ofone embodiment may also comprise computer instructions in memory which,when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to determine thelocation of the mobile speaker device. Other characteristics of exampleembodiments of the apparatus include: the wireless communications linkis one of a WiFi or mobile telephone network connection, location isdetermined by a global positioning system transceiver, the channelallocation may comprise a plurality of overlapping channels, the mobilespeaker device may be an audio system speaker, or the mobile speakerdevice is a mobile telephone device.

Another embodiment is a computer program product comprising computerprogram instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readablemedium, said instructions when executed with a processor cause anapparatus to perform: establishing a wireless communications link in amobile speaker device to a multiple channel media system controller,causing transmission of location information of a mobile speaker deviceto the system controller, receiving an audio channel allocation from thesystem controller; and selecting the allocated audio channel in themobile speaker device. The computer program product of one embodimentmay further comprise instructions that, when executed with a processor,cause an apparatus to perform determining the location of the mobilespeaker device. Other features of the computer program product ofexample embodiments are the channel allocation comprises a plurality ofoverlapping channels, and the wireless communications link is one of aWiFi or mobile telephone network connection.

In a further embodiment, an apparatus may be provided comprising ameans, such as a processor and a communications interface, forestablishing a wireless communications link in a mobile speaker deviceto a multiple channel media system controller; a means for causingtransmission of location information of a mobile speaker device to thesystem controller; a means for receiving an audio channel allocationfrom the system controller; and a means, such as a processor and amemory, for selecting the allocated audio channel in the mobile speakerdevice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described embodiments of the invention in general terms,reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus that may be embodied as amobile wireless terminal, and that may be specifically configured inaccordance with an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a surround sound system that may beconfigured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a mobile terminal interface to asurround system controller in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a mobile terminal located inoverlapping audio regions in accordance with one embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not allembodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legalrequirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

As used in this application, the term “circuitry” refers to all of thefollowing: (a) hardware-only circuit implementations (such asimplementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry) and (b) tocombinations of circuits and software (and/or firmware), such as (asapplicable): (i) to a combination of processor(s) or (ii) to portions ofprocessor(s)/software (including digital signal processor(s), software,and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as amobile phone or server, to perform various functions) and (c) tocircuits, such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of amicroprocessor(s), that require software or firmware for operation, evenif the software or firmware is not physically present.

This definition of “circuitry” applies to all uses of this term in thisapplication, including in any claims. As a further example, as used inthis application, the term “circuitry” would also cover animplementation of merely a processor (or multiple processors) or portionof a processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware.The term “circuitry” would also cover, for example and if applicable tothe particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit orapplication specific integrated circuit for a mobile phone or a similarintegrated circuit in server, a cellular network device, or othernetwork device.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an apparatus 20 that may be embodied by orotherwise associated with a mobile terminal 10 (such as a cell phone,Personal Digital Assistant, notebook, tablet, iPhone, iPad, Android, orother computing device) may include or otherwise be in communicationwith a processor 22, a memory device 24, a communication interface 28,and a user interface 30.

In some example embodiments, the processor 22 (and/or co-processors orany other processing circuitry assisting or otherwise associated withthe processor) may be in communication with the memory device 24 via abus for passing information among components of the apparatus 20. Thememory device 24 may include, for example, one or more non-transitoryvolatile and/or non-volatile memories. In other words, for example, thememory device 24 may be an electronic storage device (e.g., a computerreadable storage medium) comprising gates configured to store data(e.g., bits) that may be retrievable by a machine (e.g., a computingdevice like the processor). The memory device 24 may be configured tostore information, data, content, applications, instructions, or thelike for enabling the apparatus to carry out various functions inaccordance with an example embodiment of the present invention. Forexample, the memory device could be configured to buffer input data forprocessing by the processor. Additionally or alternatively, the memorydevice 24 could be configured to store instructions for execution by theprocessor 22.

The apparatus 20 may, in some embodiments, be embodied by a mobileterminal 10. However, in some embodiments, the apparatus may be embodiedas a chip or chip set. In other words, the apparatus may comprise one ormore physical packages (e.g., chips) including materials, componentsand/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard). Thestructural assembly may provide physical strength, conservation of size,and/or limitation of electrical interaction for component circuitryincluded thereon. The apparatus may therefore, in some cases, beconfigured to implement an embodiment of the present invention on asingle chip or as a single “system on a chip.” As such, in some cases, achip or chipset may constitute means for performing one or moreoperations for providing the functionalities described herein.

The processor 22 may be embodied in a number of different ways. Forexample, the processor may be embodied as one or more of varioushardware processing means such as a coprocessor, a microprocessor, acontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing element withor without an accompanying DSP, or various other processing circuitryincluding integrated circuits such as, for example, an ASIC (applicationspecific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), amicrocontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, a special-purposecomputer chip, or the like. As such, in some embodiments, the processormay include one or more processing cores configured to performindependently. A multi-core processor may enable multiprocessing withina single physical package. Additionally or alternatively, the processormay include one or more processors configured in tandem via the bus toenable independent execution of instructions, pipelining and/ormultithreading. In the embodiment in which the apparatus 20 is embodiedas a mobile terminal 10, the processor may be embodied by the processorof the mobile terminal.

In an example embodiment, the processor 22 may be configured to executeinstructions stored in the memory device 24 or otherwise accessible tothe processor. Alternatively or additionally, the processor may beconfigured to execute hard coded functionality. As such, whetherconfigured by hardware or software methods, or by a combination thereof,the processor may represent an entity (e.g., physically embodied incircuitry) capable of performing operations according to an embodimentof the present invention while configured accordingly. Thus, forexample, when the processor is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA or the like,the processor may be specifically configured hardware for conducting theoperations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, when theprocessor is embodied as an executor of software instructions, theinstructions may specifically configure the processor to perform thealgorithms and/or operations described herein when the instructions areexecuted. However, in some cases, the processor may be a processor of aspecific device (e.g., a mobile terminal 10) configured to employ anembodiment of the present invention by further configuration of theprocessor by instructions for performing the algorithms and/oroperations described herein. The processor may include, among otherthings, a clock, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and logic gatesconfigured to support operation of the processor.

Meanwhile, the communication interface 28 may be any means such as adevice or circuitry embodied in either hardware or a combination ofhardware and software that is configured to receive and/or transmit datafrom/to a wireless network 12 and/or any other device or module incommunication with the apparatus 20. In this regard, the communicationinterface may include, for example, an antenna (or multiple antennas)and supporting hardware and/or software for enabling communications witha wireless communication network. Additionally or alternatively, thecommunication interface may include the circuitry for interacting withthe antenna(s) to cause transmission of signals via the antenna(s) or tohandle receipt of signals received via the antenna(s). In order tosupport multiple active connections simultaneously, such as inconjunction with a digital super directional array (DSDA) device, thecommunications interface of one embodiment may include a plurality ofcellular radios, such as a plurality of radio front ends and a pluralityof base band chains. In some environments, the communication interfacemay alternatively or also support wired communication. As such, forexample, the communication interface may include a communication modemand/or other hardware/software for supporting communication via cable,digital subscriber line (DSL), universal serial bus (USB) or othermechanisms.

In some example embodiments, such as instances in which the apparatus 20is embodied by a mobile terminal 10, the apparatus may include a userinterface 30 that may, in turn, be in communication with the processor22 to receive an indication of a user input and/or to cause provision ofan audible, visual, mechanical or other output to the user. As such, theuser interface may include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, ajoystick, a display, a touch screen(s), touch areas, soft keys, amicrophone, a speaker, or other input/output mechanisms. Alternativelyor additionally, the processor may comprise user interface circuitryconfigured to control at least some functions of one or more userinterface elements such as, for example, a speaker, ringer, microphone,display, and/or the like. The processor and/or user interface circuitrycomprising the processor may be configured to control one or morefunctions of one or more user interface elements through computerprogram instructions (e.g., software and/or firmware) stored on a memoryaccessible to the processor (e.g., memory device and/or the like).

In the apparatus embodied by a mobile terminal 10, the processor 22 isthe means for executing various functions that may be specified forpreparing the mobile terminal for network communications. The memorydevice 24 may contain program code instructions causing the processor toexecute the various functions, or the processor may have memoryassociated with it that contains the program code instructions. Thus,the means for executing various functions in the mobile terminal mayinclude the memory with computer code instructions stored therein. Thecommunications interface 28 is the means for receiving signals from anetwork entity that are then processed to determine appropriatefunctions to be executed by the processor.

Another wireless apparatus that may be operable with the assistance of awireless mobile device 20 (such as a cell phone or other mobilecomputing device) is a stereo surround sound system such as isillustrated in FIG. 2. These systems are generally used for home theaterand high performance music reproduction purposes. Wireless speakers mayalso embody the apparatus 20 or at least components thereof, such as aprocessor 22, memory 24 and communications interface 28, and in the caseof a mobile speaker device a user interface 30.

The basic components of a surround sound system are anamplifier/controller 104 and five or more audio speakers. Each of thespeakers produces sound from separate “channels” in the recording beingplayed through the system. Most surround sound systems generally employa center channel speaker 106 placed close to the screen 102 for viewingmovies and television programs. By way of example, two speakers arecommonly located to the front left 108 and right 110 of thelistener/viewer 116. Two surround speakers are normally placed slightlybehind and to the left 114 and right 112 of the listener/viewer 116.This array of speakers, when used properly, gives the sensory impressionof being “surrounded” by the sound produced in the theater/music systemsource amplifier 104. More speakers are employed in systems having morethan 5 channels. The description herein is based on a five-speakersystem but other embodiments of the invention are adaptable to systemshaving more channels and speakers. Also, the amplifier/controller 104and screen 102, although shown separately in FIG. 2 for illustrationpurposes, may be assembled in a single unit with theamplifier/controller disposed within the screen enclosure.

The original surround sound systems required wiring to be connected fromthe amplifier/controller to each of the speakers. Wired from a panel onthe rear of the controller, each wire was connected to a terminaldedicated to the channel of the speaker being connected. The rear panelconnector labeled “front right,” for example, would be wired to thefront right speaker. Each of the other speakers had a separate connectorto which its wire was connected. One drawback was that all those wireseither were visible running throughout the room or they had to be hiddenin the walls, ceiling or floor.

Once connected, each speaker to its proper channel, the system could be“tuned” to adjust the relative volume of each speaker to produce thebest fidelity and balanced sound to the listener. Like all soundsystems, the major variables for performance are the position of thelistener relative to the speakers and the acoustics of the room in whichthe system is located.

One solution to the wiring difficulty is a wireless speaker system.Rather than send the audio signal to the speakers over wiredconnections, the controller broadcasts the audio over a radio link(typically carrying frequency modulated (FM) channels). The wiringproblem disappears. However, a new issue arises in a wireless surroundsound system. Each audio channel—where there are at least five as inFIG. 2—is different. Each carries a separate part of the audio of amovie or music recording. In a wireless system, the amplifier/controllerbroadcasts all five (in this case) audio channels. In order for thesystem to perform correctly, each wireless speaker must “select” fromthe multiple radio signals the proper channel for it to receive andconvert to sound. Generally, this was handled manually at system setup.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the amplifier controller 104has a WiFi link capability and each of the wireless speakers also haswireless communications link capability, e.g. a WiFi link capability.The speakers are set out into their proper array for reproducing (inthis case) 5.1 surround sound. Other multi-channel standardconfigurations exist, such as 7.1 surround sound and the invention isnot limited to the example of 5.1 surround systems. In order todynamically allocate the audio channel selections to each speaker, theamplifier/controller 104 and each speaker in an example embodimentcontains an apparatus such as that illustrated in FIG. 1 having at leasta processor 22, memory 24, and a communications interface 28.

The memory 24 in the amplifier/controller 104 and each speaker 106, 108,110, 112, 114 stores a locator and channel allocation algorithm. In oneembodiment, the locator may be a GPS location process whereby theprecise location of the speaker may be determined relative to theamplifier/controller 104. The amplifier/controller 104, also having alocator, saves its own location in memory. As each speaker establishes awireless (e.g. WiFi) connection to the amplifier/controller, theprocessor 22 in the speaker causes its location to be sent to thecontroller. In this example embodiment, once all of the speakers haverevealed their respective locations to the controller, the controllerperforms a location calculation and sends out the channel allocations tothe speaker communication interfaces 28 and to their processors 22. Theprocessor in each of the speakers, executing the algorithm stored inmemory 24, responds by selecting the audio channel(s) allocated to it.

Because not all speaker environments are ideal in size or layout, inanother example embodiment it is possible that one or more speakers maybe located in a place where two or more sound channels overlap. Thealgorithm in the amplifier/controller that assigns the channels to thespeakers recognizes that condition and may send more than one channelallocation to the processor 22 in the speaker located in an overlappingsound position. That speaker, through its processor, may select morethan one channel and reproduce sound from the more than one channel inan overlapping condition.

In another example embodiment, the communications connection need not belimited to WiFi, but may also be made over a mobile telephony connectionsuch as a long term evolution (LTE) network. A cell phone may establisha mobile wireless communication connection to the controller 104. Andthe position information for the mobile speaker device may originatefrom sources other than GPS, such as an accelerometer, a WiFi/LTEsystem, or any other location system that may function as a “positionsensor.”

The “reference” positions in the example audio system are that of theamplifier/controller 104 and the listener 116. Once the referencepositions are taken and stored in the controller 104 algorithm processormemory, as the “wireless speaker device” moves, the position sensor of awireless speaker device informs the controller 104 of the new speakerposition and the controller calculates the change in position. Thecontroller algorithm calculates the position in relation to thereferences, controller position and listener position. Each wirelessspeaker device is then allocated its correct channel over thecommunication interface 28 in it based on position.

In another embodiment, the system may have more dynamic allocationcapability in that it may allocate shared channels where a mobilewireless speaker's position falls within the audio area that overlapsareas assigned to two different speakers. A speaker, by its processor 24and communications interface 28, may select more than one channel ofsound to reproduce if it is located in an overlap location. Thiscapability is useful, for instance, if the size or shape of thelistening space does not permit adequately spaced separate speakerlocations.

The system is not limited to locating wireless audio speakers. Referringto FIG. 3, in another example embodiment, mobile terminals, such as cellphones, notebooks, tablets or other computing devices withcommunications capability may be adapted for use in surround systems.Using the example of a cell phone 310, it could establish a connectionwith the amplifier/controller 104 over a mobile wireless interface 320such as LTE. Adapted to run the location algorithm, the cell phone 310could be moved to positions around the listening space of the surroundsystem, as indicated 330 in FIG. 3, its location being tracked andtransmitted by the processor 24 and communications interface 28 in thecell phone to the controller 104.

The controller algorithm may allocate channel audio to the cell phone310 based upon its position, just as it would a speaker. This capabilitycan be useful if there is more than one viewer and each can be allocatedseparate channels through their computing devices. It can also beadapted for use where there are multiple viewers/players of complexaudio/visual programming such as computer games. Each player may receiveseparate audio channels through individual wireless mobile speakerdevices, by their processors 24 and communications interfaces 28, whileplaying through different computing device interfaces. Each computingdevice may have an associated headset so that each user may listen toher channel.

An application scenario example embodiment is a user in front of atelevision (TV) having surround sound with a Wi-Fi interface. The userhas a cellphone with Wi-Fi interface and running the algorithm, storedin its memory 24 and executed by its processor 22, to acquire itslocation, send it to the amplifier/controller through its communicationsinterface 28, and select an audio channel when one or more channels areallocated to it. The user sets in the memory 24 in his cell-phone aposition where he will be sitting to watch TV. As he moves his cellphone around himself, the processor 24 running the location algorithmcalculates the position variation and selects the audio channel orchannels to be received. The communication between theamplifier/controller and the cell phone to determine the audio channelselected and to transport the audio media selected is over the Wi-Fiwireless interface through the communications interface 28 of thewireless mobile speaker device. The amplifier/controller employs alocation algorithm to allocate audio channel selections to the externalwireless device based on its location.

In a further example embodiment, the wireless device 310 may also beallocated more than one channel of sound when located in an overlapposition. Referring to FIG. 4, the overlap condition is illustrated fora mobile device 310. The mobile device 310 is located in a position thatwould be served by two channels (from the upper right and lower right).The same condition may apply to surround system speakers that may nothave sufficient space to disperse to widely separated positions. Thealgorithm in the controller 104 may detect that the position of thewireless device 310 or speaker is in an overlap area. The controller 104may allocate more than one channel to that device/speaker such that theproper balance of sound can be reproduced regardless of the limitationson the location of the device/speaker.

In another embodiment, an embodiment of the invention may be used tocreate special auditory effects based on movement of the wirelessspeaker device. Assuming that on the broadcast side of a liveperformance or sporting event microphones for sound pickup are locatedin strategic points, movement of the mobile speaker device can accesslargely focused sounds. For example, in a symphony orchestrapresentation a user can choose to hear a particular instrument orinstrument section just by positioning the cellular device in theinstrument direction on the screen. Or if the user is watching a soccergame, she can hear the sound near the soccer goalkeeper when a goaloccurs just by positioning the cellular device in the goalkeeperdirection. As the mobile wireless speaker device is moved about thelistener's reference point, the selected audio channel(s) may changebased on the wireless speaker device location. This can have the effectof choosing the audio channel that carries the sound of interest moreprominently than the other channels. That permits close focus onparticularized sounds in the performance.

The following abbreviations may appear in this Description and may alsobe found in one or more of the claims that follow:

Wi-Fi—Wireless Fidelity

FM—Frequency Modulation

GPS—Global Position System

LTE—long term Evolution

GSM—Global System Mobile

UMTS—Universal Mobile Terrestrial System

TV—Television

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed:
 1. A method comprising: establishing a wirelesscommunications link in a mobile speaker device; causing transmission oflocation information of the mobile speaker device; receiving an audiochannel allocation; and selecting the allocated audio channel in themobile speaker device.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:determining a location of the mobile speaker device.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, further comprising: locating the mobile wireless speaker devicewithin an operating area of a wireless multiple channel audio signal. 4.The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications link is one ofa WiFi or mobile telephone network connection.
 5. The method of claim 1wherein the location information is determined by one of a globalpositioning system transceiver, a mobile telephone location system, anda WiFi location system.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the channelallocation comprises a plurality of overlapping channels.
 7. The methodof claim 1 wherein the mobile speaker device is an audio system speaker.8. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile speaker device is a mobiletelephone device.
 9. An apparatus comprising: at least a processor, amemory, and computer instructions stored in memory which, when executedby the processor, cause the apparatus to: establish a wirelesscommunications link in a mobile speaker device; cause transmission oflocation information of the mobile speaker device; receive an audiochannel allocation; and select the allocated audio channel in the mobilespeaker device.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:computer instructions in memory which, when executed by the processor,cause the apparatus to: determine a location of the mobile speakerdevice.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the wireless communicationslink is one of a WiFi or mobile telephone network connection.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein the location information is determined by aglobal positioning system transceiver.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9wherein the channel allocation comprises a plurality of overlappingchannels.
 14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the mobile speaker deviceis an audio system speaker.
 15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein themobile speaker device is a mobile telephone device.
 16. A computerprogram product comprising computer program instructions stored in anon-transitory computer readable medium, said instructions when executedwith a processor cause an apparatus to perform: establishing a wirelesscommunications link in a mobile speaker device; causing transmission oflocation information of the mobile speaker device; receiving an audiochannel allocation; and selecting the allocated audio channel in themobile speaker device.
 17. The computer program product of claim 16,further comprising instructions that, when executed with a processor,cause an apparatus to perform: determining a location of the mobilespeaker device.
 18. The computer program product of claim 16, whereinthe channel allocation comprises a plurality of overlapping channels.19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the wirelesscommunications link is one of a WiFi or mobile telephone networkconnection.
 20. An apparatus comprising: a means for establishing awireless communications link in a mobile speaker device; a means forcausing transmission of location information of the mobile speakerdevice; a means for receiving an audio channel allocation; and a meansfor selecting the allocated audio channel in the mobile speaker device.